332 Twelfth Annual Report. 



by cows Nos. 4, 5 and 6 during the two weeks immediately after 

 the storm, when they were fed beets, is to be noted. There is no 

 way of determining, however, how much of this gain is due to 

 normal recovery following adverse conditions, and how much to 

 additional feed. 



Cows Nos. 1 and 3 ate 775 lbs. of beets each and cows Nos. 

 4, 5 and 6, 625 lbs. each. 



SOIUNG. 



Soiling experiments planned were seriously interfered with 

 by the very severe drouth of the summer and fall. Our experience 

 seems to point to the fact that feed may be very much economized 

 by cutting and feeding instead of pasturing. Especially is this 

 the case in seasons of shortage in irrigation water when it is im- 

 possible to irrigate any considerable part of a field at a single run 

 of water. More experiments along this line are under way and 

 will be reported in detail later. 



DEHORNING COWS. 



On January 30 the cows of the herd were dehorned by Mr. 

 John Elvey by use of the Newton dehorning clippers. Again a 

 storm prevented the observation of a change in condition, for rain 

 fell on eight of the eleven days following the operation. 



By referring to the tabulated record and to Fig. 1, it will be 

 seen that a very serious falling off in amount of both milk and 

 butter fat took place during the month following dehorning. 



The per cent of fat in the milk increased but not sufficiently 

 to overcome the decrease in amount of milk given. 



How much of this falling off in butter fat is due to dehorn- 

 ing and how much to storm we are unable to determine. 



Gordon H. True, 

 Department of Animal Husbandry. 



